Ranielle Russell was screwing with them.
On the second hour of being stuck on the sweltering bus, Sierra stealthily handed each of her teammates a water bottle.
Beck unscrewed the cap of his. “I might be a little bit in love with you,” he whispered.
“Gross,” Sierra muttered.
They finally arrived at the studio and filed into the air-conditioned greenroom, but their relief was short-lived.
“There was a mix-up with the caterer today,” said one of the interns. “Your lunch wasn’t delivered.”
Jarius laughed bitterly. “Is this show being run by amateurs?”
The intern shrugged. “Helsing, you’re up first. Hand over your phones and bags, then head straight to costumes and makeup. Illuminati, you’re next, so be ready when you’re called. We’ve already lost a lot of time today.”
“Not through any fault of ours,” Adi grumbled as they followed the intern into the hall.
This day needed to get in the freaking trash, and they hadn’t even run the room yet.
“Is this a pirate-themed room?” Beck said the moment the directorcalled for action. “Because Ilovepirates.”
It was a worthwhile guess—they were in identical emerald-green, puffy-sleeved blouses—but Adi wished Beck would tone down the zeal. Surely no one could be that happyallthe time.
Fitzy’s mouth hung open in surprise, not used to contestants talking before he did.
Louis Augustus Russell, however, smirked and held a finger to his lips. “All is soon to be revealed.”
Fitzy looked from Beck to Sierra to Adi and finally to Carter. His words seemed to carry a double meaning as he asked, “Everyone feeling good?”
Adi frowned, trying to decipher if he was asking Carter out of honest concern, or if there was more behind it. Could he really have tried to drug her at the party last week? And if so, what for? Ranielle Russell had insinuated a potential sabotage, but Fitzy shouldn’t care which teams did well and which didn’t.
Right?
“We’re doing great,” Carter said—a blatant lie.
Adi raised an eyebrow behind her back. It had been impossible not to overhear bits of the hour-long phone calls she had with her parents every night, including when she tried to explain what had happened at the party. He might have felt worse for her if he hadn’t been the tiniest bit jealous at the thought of having parents who actually cared. Symphony would’ve found it hilarious if Adi had gotten wasted and puked on the competition. He could hear her now.Welcome to showbiz, sweetie!
“How about you, team leader?” said Fitzy. “Are you ready?”
Sierra eyed him coldly. “Yeah, Fitzy. We’re ready. To slay the competition.”
“Ha! Slay! Like your namesake, Van Helsing, am I right?” He winked. “I’ve been studying.”
Carter laughed, and Fitzy’s smile widened briefly before he turned to Louis. “Game Master, why don’t you reveal what’s in store for our first elimination round?”
“With pleasure.” Louis’s voice dropped dramatically. “The four of you have been invited to have your fortunes told by the great Madame Clara Voyance. But when you arrive, you discover that a curse has befallen the diviner!”
“How unfortunate,” said Fitzy. “Fortune teller? Fortunate? Get it?”
Adi wanted to smack him over the head.
Louis continued as if he hadn’t been interrupted. “Her spirit has been sealed inside her crystal ball. You must solve the mysteries of the fortune teller’s tent to free her . . . and yourselves.”
Fitzy made an eerieooohnoise. “With that spine-tingling introduction, Game Master, do you have any wisdom to offer our intrepid team?”
“Indeed. To control your fate . . . let intuition be your guide.”
They were given blindfolds, but before they were led off the stage, a loud buzzer sounded through the set.
